Prabowo: a sharp critique by Desi

Instead of quietly and gracefully conceding — which would have been the most honorable thing to do, especially for a man of valor and a patriot as he always claims himself to be — he has stolen much of the media limelight that should have been devoted to congratulating the newly elected president, to focus on his pain, frustrations and immense sense of betrayal.

Is he not the embodiment of heroism and bravery? Is he not the champion of democracy? Is he not the knight in shining armor who is destined to raise the Indonesian people from their stupidity, slave-mentality and oppression by arrogant foreigners?

Is it not obvious that he is the true and legitimate winner of the election, and not some skinny, furniture maker out of nowhere who’s never ridden a horse, wielded a gun or defended the country in battle? A nobody who actually had the audacity to cross path with one born with a silver spoon in his mouth and whose lineage can be traced back centuries.

Surely there must be some mistake. A cruel joke. Or some massive and systematic conspiracy concocted by the supporters of the Dark Force to rob him of his rightful throne and his birthright. The stars cannot be wrong. So the whole election must be wrong. And it is his duty to right that wrong, whatever it takes, lest the heavens be offended if the injustice is not redressed.

Never mind that the whole country is hostage to his rage. Never mind that he treats respected institutions with contempt like some bilious and cantankerous despot, and this when he’s not even the president yet. (God forbid what he would be like if he did become president).

In this, I lay the blame squarely on the KPU for having allowed a delusional megalomaniac to enter the presidential race to begin with.